Street or station indicator.



G. A. MYERS.

STREET OR STATION INDICATOR.

APPLICATION mm APR. s. 1915.

Patented fieptn 25 SSHEET 1.

2 SHEET Iliali Myers,

G. A. MYERS.

STREET 0R STATION mmcmon.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3,. I916.

@FFIQE.

GEORGE A. MYERS, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN.

STREET 0B, STATION INDIGuk'llOR.v

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

Application filed April 3, 1916. Serial No. 88,544.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. MYERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of Michigan, have inventednew and useful Improvements in Street or Station Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in street or station indicators for use on street cars, interurban cars, railroad cars and other vehicles and has particular application to a manually operated indicator.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide a street or station indicator whereby the names of the streets or stations may be displayed one after the other as the car approaches the same so as to advise the passengers of the names of such streets or stations.

It is also my purpose to provide apparatus of the class described which will embody in its construction, among other features, two drums carrying a Web having the names of the streets or stations printed thereon, and means for rotating the drums in either direction so as to display the names of the streets or stations successively, in combination with means for compensating for the relative changes in diameter of the drums incident to the winding and unwinding of the web thereon, whereby the names of the streets or stations will be properly displayed.

With the above and other objects in-view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forth in and falling within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a street or station indicator constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view therethrough, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. v Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, 1 designates a substantially rectangular casing having the front wall. formed centrally with a transverse sight opening 2 and arranged within the sight opening 2 is a panel of glass or other transparent material. Arranged within the casing 1 adjacent to one end wall thereof is a vertical supporting wall 3 and journaled in horizontally alining bearings carried by the supporting wall 8 and the remote end wall are shafts 4, 4 arranged adjacent to the top and bottom walls of the casing and in proximity to the front wall above and below the sight opening therein and fixed upon the shafts 4, 4 are drums 5, 5. In the supporting wall 3 and the remote end wall at a point behind and above the top drum 5 are rearwardly and upwardly inclined slots 6 alining with each other and also formed in such supporting Wall and the remote end wall at a point behind and above the lower. drum 5 are upwardly and rearwardly inclined alining slots 7. Mounted in the upper slots 6 are the trunnions of a horizontal shaft 8 extending across the casing and normally disposed at the lower ends of the slots, while mounted in the lower slots 7 are the trunnions of a horizontal shaft 9 extending across the casing. On the shafts 8 and 9 are relatively small drums 10 and 11 respectively bearing against the respective drums 5, 5 so that upon the rotation of thedrums 5, 5 similar but reversed motion will be impartedto the drums 10 and 11. 12 designates a web of paper or the like having the upper end portion secured to and wrapped about the top drum 10 and the other end portion carried downwardly over the upper drum 5, then around the lower drum 5 and secured to and wrapped about the lower drum 11. Arranged across the space between the supporting wall 3 and the remote end of the casing at a point between the drums 5, 5 is a strip 13 standing behind the sight opening 2 and designed to form a back for the adjacent portion of the web.

The names-of the streets or stations are printed on the web 12 and these names are spaced apart equal distances and when the lower drum 5 is revolved in the direction of the arrow, the drum 11 is rotated incident to the frictional contact between the drums 5 and 11 and in this movement of the drums 5 and 11 the web is wound onto-the drum 11 and off of the drum 10. On the other hand, when the upper drum 5 is rotated in the direction of the arrow adjacent it, that is, in a direction opposite from the lower drum 5, the upper drum 10 is rotated incident to the frictional contact between such drums and the web 12 wound upon the drum 10 and off of thefl drum 11.

As the web winds on the datum 11 em 61% oi the drum 10, the trunnions of the shaft rise in the oblique slotted beafinge 7 so that the drum 11 moves away from the drum 5, incident to the increased diameter of the drum 11, While the drum 10 moves down wardlyjto'ward the upper drum 5, incident to the decrease in diameter of such drum 10. Conversely when the Web is Wound onto the drum 10, thelatter moves away from the hp' er drum 5; While the lower drum ll moves toivafrjcl the correspending drum ,5. By means of this construction, it will be seen th at the drums 10 and 11 gravitate totvard the other driims and act asbrakes to keep the web always taut; and, as the web is moved, the names on the Web Willbe. at all times brought into proper pesitieh behind the sight opening irrespective of the ielativeQ cha'nQe in diameter in the drums 10 and 11. j

' Keydnpon the ends of the shafts 4 betxi'een the supporting wall 3 and the adjaf centencl. Wall of the easing; 1 are ratchet Wheels 14, 14 respectivelyand formed in the outer siirface of the supporting en 3 be tween the ratchet heels is a horizontal 'giiideway 15. Slidabl'y mounted Within the guideiivajr 15 a block 16 and seemed "to one endof the block 16 is a stein 17 projeiiting through an opening 18 formed in the front Wall of the easing, While 'secilred to the rear end 'of the block is one end of a coiled retractile spring 19, such springhav ing the remaining end thereof fastened to the back wan otthe easin This spring 19 aete to hold the block 16 normally the rear end'of the guideway 1' ild to restore the block to "such positionafter the block has been moved against the action of the spring and released. Pivoted between its ends iipon the block 16 is a lever :QQhavin'g one end formed with a dog 21 adapted to engage the lower ratchet Wheel 14, and the other end formed With a boss 22; vvhile pivoted upon the block bejtiveen itsends isfa second lever 28 having one end formed with a dog '24: adapted to en gagethe. upper ratchet tvheel ,14 and the other end formed With a theme to which is connected a Weighted arm 26 acting horinally to hold the dog en'dof the'l'evei' 24 elevated to engage the teeth e-f the upper ratchet Wheel 14. Also pivoted upo the block 1'6 between the boss ends of the levers 2'0 and 23 is a cam 27 capable of 'in'ovenient to e gage the bo's's'e'ii'd of either lever to move the latter to inactive position so as to dis engagethe dog end thereof from the co'ire spon'ding ratchet Wheel. The "teet on each ratchet Wheel 14 -are spaced apart distai'aces equal to the spaces between the names of the streets er stations on, the web. VVheh the cam 27 is tinned to swing the lower lever to ina etive' p'osition, th'e'vsfeighted arm 26 on the upper l'e've'r acts to thiew the last-named lever to active position to engage the dog end thereof With the upper 'rat'cllet Wheel so that each time that the block 16 ispulled against the action of the spring 1 9" the Web will be advanced a space to move one name out of the sight opening and the following name into such opening While When the cam is turned in the ether direction, the lower lever Will be permitted to gravitate into engagement with the corresponding iatchet ivheel, While the t -pet lever vill be swung;teiheehve posi- Iti'on so that each time that the block 16 is hihved gaihst the act-i011 erthe spring-'19 1 the Weight tvill be advanced a step in the hhh'et direction.

In the present instance, one end of a cord 28 is c onnected With the outer end of the stein 17 so that the blocknlay be actuated conveniently, While secuifed to the front Wall of'the eaeihg 1 is a hen 29am pivoted to eue Wall is a h ihl'hei- 30 adapted to strike the bell and tinder the control of a pin 31 on the stem 17 Each time that'the stem is death intothe easing under the eheh of the spring '19, the 511131 strikes the hemeo as as some the h n. I I WVhile I have herein shown and'de'scr'ibed the preferred form of invention by ,tvay of illustration, I Wish it to be understood that I do limit eiconfine nijselfto the precise details of construction herein des'c'ribe'd and delineated, as modification and variation may be made'ivithin theeeepe of the elem-e aha Without departin -hem the spirit ofth'e invention.

lclainii V. e 1. In an indicator efthe elass described, the combination tvith transverse strip having an upright thee, drums 'near "the u er first-named driiins and across the faceof said "stri the Web being provided fivith equally spaced indications on its front face,

and means for selectively turning either of the first-named drums to draw the Web across said strip in steps corresponding With the spacing ofitsindieations. v

2. In an indicator of the class described, the combination With superposed drums having ratchet fvvheels fast 6n their shafts, a eeeihg which the latter are jour'naled and having an opening between the drums and he ghidewey opposite said Opening, an

a Web movable over the drums and past said e ehih g hd bearing indications e1 spaced 15o points on its face; of a manually operable block slidably mounted in said guideway, levers pivoted between their ends to said block and each having a dog on its long arm for engaging one of said ratchet wheels, a weight on the short arm of the upper lever whereby its dog is held normally in said engagement, the dog of the lower lever being held normally in such engagement by its own gravity, and a cam pivoted to the block between the short arms of the levers and adapted to be turned into contact with either so as to hold its dog out of engagement with the ratchet wheel,vfor the purpose set forth.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with rotary elements mounted one above the other and having ratchet wheels on their shafts, a manually reciprocable member mounted to move between said elements on a line at right angles to a line through their axes, and levers pivoted between their ends to said member and each having a boss on its short arm and a dog on its long arm to engage the teeth of one of the ratchet wheels; of a weighted arm connected to the boss of the upper lever to hold its dog normally in such engagement, the dog of the lower lever maintaining such engagement by its own gravity, and a cam movably mounted on said member between the bosses and capable of being set into contact with either so as to swing its dog out of such engagement, while permitting the dog of the other lever to maintain such engagement, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE A. MYERS. \Vitnesses FRANK S. WESTON, HELEN O. DENNIS;

Copies-o1 this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

